The Messenger Spring 2013 by McMurry

“Someone who desires knowledge should always listen to the messenger and keep his eye on the Hawk.” - T E R R Y G I L B R E T H ’ 6 8 , Sculptor of Sacred Wind

the M c M u r r y U n i v e r s i t y magazine for alumni & friends

unwrapping

ideas...

...for a

education

F R O M T H E P RESI D ENT

Dear McMurry Alumni and Friends:

elcome to this issue of The Messenger and to a world that lights up within its pages. I applaud the contributors for their stories and for your gracious sharing of them. We are enriched by their presence in The Messenger and most notably, by the presence of these contributors in our McMurry Family. Recently, I was thumbing through some statistics and noted that 94 percent of our freshman class – McMurry’s Class of 2016 – are from Texas. As a transplanted Texan, I am especially appreciative of the variety of reasons folks have for choosing to live, work and study in Texas. Given where and how we recruit and have historically drawn from West Texas for our student population, there’s not really much of a surprise in that 94 percent figure. And yet despite that overwhelmingly ‘Texas-centric’profile of our student population, the McMurry Family is international in its engagement. And it does so in some very meaningful and diverse ways. An important element in the spiritual development of students is the process through which they go in determining their place in the world. That process can have many inputs and generally results in a graduate with a changed perspective and an inclination to more fully engage in that world. This issue of The Messenger provides some insight into the ways in which members of the McMurry Family undertake their journey to understand and impact the global landscape. Whether through travel in support of our academic mission, exposure to our array of international faculty and staff, or participation in outreach through humanitarian mission trips, McMurry is preparing its graduates to take their place in the world…and to positively impact that world. I know you will find this issue of The Messenger to be informative and trust you will be impressed by the commitment of those about whom you will read. Enjoy! Warm Regards,

Publisher McMurry University Relations 1 McM Station Box 938 Abilene, Texas 79697 Editor-in-Chief Gary Ellison Editor Lori Thornton Art Director Sheila Kitts ’01

Contributing Writers Dave Beyer Gary Ellison Loretta Fulton Scott Kirk Samantha Shaffer Jackie Underwood

McMurry President and Officers Dr. John H. Russell President

Dr. Paul Fabrizio Vice President for Academic Affairs

Lisa Williams

Vice President for Financial Affairs

Debra Hulse

Vice President for Institutional Advancement

Brad Poorman

John H. Russell, Ph.D. President

Photographers Tina Bertrand Sheila Kitts

Vice President for Information & Support Services

Vanessa Roberts Dean of Students

Ron Holmes

Athletic Director

F E A TURES

3 7 12 14 19 23

Role Model UN

Athletics Update . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Class Notes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Friends We’ll Miss. . . . . . . . . . 28

Chalk It Up to Global Experience The Road Less Traveled Giving Them a Reason to Smile Servin’ Up a Little World Perspective Determined to Teach 1

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MODEL UN TEACHES leadership, diplomacy, and multilateral cooperation between international students

cMurry Model UN students took “learning by doing” to a new level this winter as they traveled to the Galapagos Islands in South America to participate in a special Model United Nations international event. The students, under the tutelage of political science professor Dr. Tina Bertrand, had the opportunity for real-life interaction with students from across the world through their trip to Ecuador. Although small in comparison with most Model UN universities, McMurry has carved out an enviable national and international reputation for excellence, leading Model UN to extend the special invitation. Each year, the National Model United Nations (NMUN) invites universities and colleges from all over the world for a week-long conference. During the conference, each school represents a

country and serves as that country’s delegation in a simulation of a United Nations’ session. Students acting as delegates tackle real-world issues and draft resolutions to help solve these issues in specialized committees. Out of this group, a select number of schools are chosen to participate in a Global NMUN conference held somewhere in the world each year. McMurry was one of only 25 universities from around the globe to be invited to participate in this year’s prestigious conference, where Model UN students represented Argentina and focused on the issue of “Sustainable Development.” This year’s participants were Martha Chace, a senior English major/biology minor from Clovis, New Mexico, serving on the Status of Women Committee; Joshua Brooks a junior biochemistry

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major from Abilene, Texas, serving on the Science and Technology for Development Committee; Kenna Cornelius, a senior life science major/chemistry minor from Coleman, Texas, serving on Methods for Sustainable Development Committee; and Quinten Smith, a senior English major/education minor from San Antonio, Texas, serving on the Population and Development Committee. Smith also served as team leader. McMurry Model UN lived up to their stellar reputation at the conference. The team won the Distinguished Delegation award for their diplomatic efforts as Argentina. In the Commission on the Status of Women, Martha Chace won Best Individual

Delegate accolades for her work on bolstering extant educational programs across the globe and improving national strategic goals for women’s education. While at the conference, the students also participated in a service project involving reforestation, and Drs. Bertrand and Joel Brant participated in hacienda restoration. According to Model United Nations surveys over a period of years, participants say that the experiential learning environment significantly improves their skills in: leadership, public speaking, persuasion, team work, setting priorities, mediation, and working with new people. Dr. Bertrand agrees with that assessment. “In my

opinion, Model UN goes above and beyond honing career-building skills, although these skills certainly are invaluable to our students as they prepare for their careers. Model UN transforms our students into activists. They learn how other countries perceive complex issues, and how to overcome differences to achieve collaborative outcomes that benefit everyone in some way. Our students become invested in finding solutions to problems that plague the people they have researched and emulated at these conferences. In addition, our students develop or deepen their empathy for those who struggle with problems that once were beyond, or only at the periphery of, our students’ state of awareness.”

During this process, students also become more confident in their own ability to "be the change that [they] wish to see in the world,” said Dr. Bertrand, citing Mahatma Gandhi’s famous quote. “This especially is true when our students go toe-to-toe with students from Harvard, Duke, and a variety of other prestigious, international universities. McMurry students return to Abilene with a profound realization that they can succeed and change the world, despite the daunting reputations of the players with whom they interact at Model UN conferences.” She continues, “One testament to this is the recent awards our students won at the National Model UN – Galapagos conference. McMurry was one of only 25 schools selected from across the globe to participate in this exclusive conference, which is an achievement in itself. Representing Argentina, McMurry students won a Distinguished Delegation Award and a Best Delegate Award in the Commission on the Status of Women. While material awards certainly are satisfying, the changes within our students are where we see the ultimate benefits of experiential learning programs.” Reflecting on the trip, award-winner Martha Chace said, “Galapagos was an experience of a lifetime. Since I am beginning my road to becoming a lawyer and soon will be entering law school, I felt attending a Model United Nations conference would be good preparation for what I will be experiencing along that road. I definitely didn’t expect to learn and grow as much as I did.” Smith agrees. “I learned so much from this experience—the Ecuadorian infrastructure, international relations, and even a little about the vegetation. What I also brought back from this trip was lots of sand, souvenirs and ten new close friends. I would like to thank every single person who donated to us and helped make the trip possible; it was truly a blessing.” ■

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...to Global Experience

SIX MCMURRY PROFESSORS come from around the world and offer our students a unique perspective from their global experiences.

he answer seemed so obvious; Dr. Anna Saghatelyan had to laugh when asked if coming from another country helped give her biology students a valuable perspective. “Of course it does,” said the associate professor from Armenia. “I grew up on the sea and there are many kinds of lush plants and mountains to hike. I don’t think someone can develop a passion for plants if they come from flat land.” Saghatelyan is one of six professors or instructors who came from different parts of the globe to teach at McMurry. Some teach in fields in which introducing their students to a different culture seems a logical extension

f e at u r e of their courses, while others teach disciplines in math and sciences that one would think are universal. However, even those teachers, such as Saghatelyan, believe their perspectives benefit their students. Dr. José Gómez, who teaches Spanish in the foreign language department, thinks that when a student learns about another culture, he is also gaining a deeper understanding of his own. “Definitely,” said the native of Quito, Ecuador. “You’re learning your own culture.” Gómez believes his students benefit learning Spanish from someone who grew up in a culture that spoke the language rather than from an American who learned the language. “I think it is an advantage,” he said. “I am sharing with them what I learned growing up.” He also believes learning at least one other language besides your native tongue is essential to being competitive in a global economy. “We are in the economy of knowledge, and everybody is going to have to know about another culture,” he said. “We should at least be bilingual. That is what it is going to take to be competitive.” Dr. Hyunshun Shin, associate professor of organic chemistry, is multi-cultural on several levels. She is not only a native of South Korea, but her 20 years in the United States has been split between Philadelphia, San Francisco and Abilene. Not only do her students benefit from her international perspective, but also from her experience living in diverse parts of this country. She said her own students seem less willing to leave the comforts of home when they finish their undergraduate studies than she would prefer. “They say, ‘I don’t want to leave Texas. I love Texas,’” said Shin. “That’s alright.” Shin believes that relating to her students is vital to teaching them, especially when the subject is as difficult as chemistry. She told of a conversation she had with her parents when she was particularly frustrated trying to motivate her students.

“My mom said, ‘Even three years old, my grandson knows who likes him and who does not. If you do not teach with your heart, your students will know as time goes on,’’’ Shin recalled. “As an educator, I am concerned about improving people’s lives and learning skills.” Shin makes an analogy between chemistry and human interaction, saying that just as attractive forces of molecular interactions play a crucial role in chemical reactions, personal interactions have a great impact on positive and negative brain activities related to learning.

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Dr. Yelena Kosheleva, psychology professor and professor in the curriculum and instruction department, injects an understanding of other cultures in all of her classes. The native of Russia said most of the students who select her classes already have an interest in other cultures. “As a result of their involvement, their interest deepened and many expressed a desire to travel internationally to experience different cultures,” she said. In Kosheleva’s Multi-Cultural Psychology class, students explored different cultures on campus, such as athletics and social clubs; through interviewing students, they discovered insights into core values on campus. “As a result, we had a round of fascinating presentations by students that collectively outlined elements of the McMurry experience,” she said. Another of Kosheleva’s classes is a course in language acquisition for teachers who plan to be certified as English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers. “We discussed how a teacher can demonstrate an interest in students’ cultures and languages as well as help them be better integrated into the community of their peers,” she said. “Reaching those students is only possible if the teacher is sincerely interested in them and their academic success, as well as their personal well-being.” Kosheleva’s husband, Dr. Tikhon Bykov, associate professor of physics, can’t make as direct a connection between his subject matter and that of his wife, but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t made an impact on him and the way he teaches. For example, his student’s experience is much different than what he experienced in his native Russia. “In Russia you would study your core subjects, and really little else, when you got to this level,” he said. “Here the approach is very different in a liberal arts education. I really like that (liberal arts) approach. You take a broad approach. It’s very useful.”

The professors have assimilated themselves well into West Texas culture, primarily because they love their adopted country. “I’m an Ecuadorian,” said Gómez when asked how he identified himself. “But when you’ve come to a country that has opened up opportunities for you, you learn to love that country.” It could well be that, as Gómez and his fellow professors from other countries introduce other cultural perspectives to their students, they are also deepening their students’ love for their own country. ■

To ring in the New Year, 17 students traveled to London, the financial capital of the world. This trip gives students the opportunity to experience the professional world and become more cultured while receiving up to six course credit hours. The students researched their particular interest before leaving for the 10-day trip. After the research concluded, the students experienced firsthand the ins and outs of major companies such as Whole Foods and American Airlines, and also had the opportunity to tour museums and visit landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower and Stonehenge.

Annually, McMurry Religious Life hosts World Village in Wah Wahtaysee. Meant to serve as a mission trip right here on campus, students camp out in tents to raise awareness of our neighbors around the world living in the harsh conditions of extreme poverty and to raise funds for annual mission trips.

“Because of participating in this trip, I know now that the career path I’ve chosen is the right one for me.” MARTHA CHACE, About her trip to the Model UN Conference on the Gallapagos Islands

The world is like a book. Those who do not travel only read one page.

“The educational experience of a lifetime.”

S aint A ugustine

KELSEY HEAD,

Over Spring Break, seven students and staff traveled to El Paso, Texas to volunteer at the Houchen Community Center, while another three students ventured down to Juarez, Mexico to build a home for a family living in poverty. The family of six graciously welcomed the McMurry team into their lives as the students worked on their new home. These trips resulted in meaningful, lifechanging interactions between people of different cultures, and proved to be more memorable for these students than a trip to the beach.

A group of 15 students, faculty and staff traveled to Aurangabad, India, July 16-31, 2012. During the two-week mission trip, members of the McMurry community worked through Life Light Ministries to teach English at St. John's English School, cultivate valuable relationships at New Beginnings Children's Home, and explore opportunities to learn about Jain, Buddhist, Hindu, and Sikh cultures and religions. Students not only experienced and ministered to a world very different from their own, but they also received course credit in religion or sociology. This summer, the team is returning to India July 8 - August 2, led by faculty and staff outside the Religious Life office. This shift of leadership which is a good sign that McMurry, as a whole, is making a difference.

About her trip to Italy

JOIN THE MCMURRY HISTORY DEPT

ENGLAND/ SCOTLAND

June

3-11,

2013

The Haitian people have suffered immensely since the 2010 earthquake that destroyed their homes and so much more. McMurry sent 14 hard-working students, staff and alumni to build new homes for people who had been displaced. Not only did the students minister and serve the Haitian people, but they became educated on Haitian Creole and the culture as a whole. Members of the McMurry community also facilitated therapeutic yoga classes for children suffering with post traumatic stress disorder. McMurry will be returning to Haiti this summer on June 19-26.

Giving Them a Reason to

Smile

Volunteering is in the lifeblood of McMurry University alumna and current Board of Trustees member Dr. Jolynn Galvin.

successful dentist in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Dr. Galvin has shared her expertise through mission trips both internationally and at home in New Mexico for many years. Since 1982, she has gone on twenty-two mission trips to Mexico and South America and two Mission of Mercy trips in New Mexico providing dental help and spreading the message of Jesus Christ. In her most memorable mission to the headwaters of the Amazon River in northern Peru in 2004, her son Patrick served as her “dental assistant.” While there, they faithfully ministered to the Yaqua and Ticuna Indian tribes through the Christian Hands in Action (CHIA) mission group based in El Paso, Texas. “We literally went to the head of the Amazon in Peru in this boat that was a hundred years old,” said Dr. Galvin. “It’s not exactly what you would think about when you think of a cruise ship. We traveled on the river and stopped at villages where the people came onto the boat and we did dental work.” Most of the trips since then have been to Mexico. However, the recent turmoil in Juarez

has kept the group from making trips the past few years. “One of the last international mission trips I participated in with CHIA was out of El Paso,” she said of her 2009 trip. So she has turned to providing dental services in New Mexico through Mission of Mercy. “It’s a two-day event where we set up dental chairs and see patients from five in the morning until five at night on a Friday and Saturday,” said Dr. Galvin. “The first one was in Albuquerque in November 2010. We had 1700 volunteers; probably 300 of those were dentists who came from across the state. On Thursday, the volunteers in Albuquerque came to set up five semi-truck loads of equipment. Other volunteers prepared patient histories and took blood pressures prior to treatment.” Her second stint with Mission of Mercy was in Las Cruces in March 2012. “My hygienist, Nicole Olivas, and I traveled to Las Cruces. It was a wonderful experience. Although we saw fewer people than in Albuquerque, the patients who came to this event got more care. Nicole cleaned teeth; I did prosthetics. In prosthetics, we replaced missing front teeth. People were

Dr. JoLYNN GALVIN spreads smiles across the world, having participated in over twenty mission trips that provide dental services to those in need.

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very appreciative.” She is already planning for the next Mission of Mercy event in Farmington on September 2013. Dr. Galvin’s willingness to give to others was ingrained early in her life. “I had parents who raised me in a Christian home and stressed the importance of being involved in a church. They also impressed on me the value of an education.” Through that Methodist church connection, she had heard about McMurry and knew at an early age she wanted to attend college there. “When the time came to go to college, McMurry provided me with a wonderful scholarship.” McMurry faculty and staff also provided comfort when her father died unexpectedly during Dr. Galvin’s first year at McMurry. “The support and loving care from campus minister, Bert Affleck, and professors, Dr. Clark Beasley and Dr. Bill Dulin, got me through a very difficult time.” Her McMurry ties remain strong. She has served on the McMurry Board of Trustees from 1994 to 2003 and from 2005 to the present. While at McMurry, she made friendships with her three suitemates that have lasted a lifetime. “We met as freshmen and are still the best of friends. Martha Michael was my roommate and Ansel Roney and Robyn Lilley Luster were our suitemates. The four of us get together all the time.” After she established a dental practice in Albuquerque, one of her pastors, who had been her Sunday school teacher at St. Paul UMC while she was attending McMurry, suggested she might check into CHIA. “I started in 1983 and I just kept on volunteering.” Even though she has dedicated much of her time and talents to volunteering for missions, she also provides other services

to McMurry University, First United Methodist Church in Albuquerque, and to her community. Dr. Galvin is the McMurry Ambassador to her local church and acts as an advocate for McMurry to other churches in the Albuquerque area. She appreciates the United Methodist Church’s heritage of higher education and commitment to learning, and hopes to rekindle passion for higher education in the local church. Dr. Galvin has worked with the Shadow of the Church, which provides meals, financial assistance, and other services to the poor and homeless in Albuquerque. She has also worked with the Interfaith Hospitality Network to provide food, serve as an overnight chaperone, and recruit volunteers to help homeless families find permanent homes and jobs. Throughout her life, Dr. Galvin has recognized and appreciated her McMurry ties. “I have had inspirational mentors and loving friends and family who have helped me along my life journey. Each day I am more thankful for the educational experiences at McMurry.” When asked why she volunteers so much of her time, finances and talent, Dr. Galvin gave two reasons: First, “I hope in some way to give something back for all the things I have been given. My talent is fixing smiles and getting people out of dental pain. The feeling one gets when a patient thanks and hugs you makes life worthwhile.” And second, she credits her Methodist heritage. “I am a Methodist and try to live by John Wesley’s rules: ‘Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.’” We can all learn from that example. ■

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Servin’ Up a Little World Perspective Someday, Nyundo Nzamu plans to be the one walking through the McMurry cafeteria serving line—instead of washing dishes.

Through a partnership with Abilene’s INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE, McMurry University benefits from the unique perspective of six refugee employees and their families and friends.

refugee from Rwanda, Nyundo Nzamu has been in Abilene for one year, thanks to the efforts of the International Rescue Committe (IRC). Nzamu is one of six refugees—five from Africa and one from Nepal—who work in McMurry’s Mabee Dining Hall. The dishwashing job is his first. He has family back home in Rwanda, and he hopes that they can join him soon. In his native country, Nzamu was a lawyer. He has plans to continue working and learning so that someday he can be a professional in the United States. And he knows where he will get that education. He likes being on the McMurry campus, and he likes the people he encounters every day. “At one time,” he said, “I will be a student here.” The International Rescue Committee dates to 1933 when the American branch of the Europeanbased International Relief Association was founded at the suggestion of Albert Einstein to assist Germans suffering under Hitler. It evolved over the years to its present form, with U.S. offices located from coast to coast. The

f e at u r e IRC works with the U.S. Department of State to relocate refugees in cities across the United States. The Abilene office opened in November 2003 as a satellite of the regional office in Dallas. In January 2004, the first refugees arrived in Abilene. Since then, about 100 refugees per year have been resettled here, representing countries worldwide. Their presence is felt across the city, from classrooms to churches to the workplace. To most Abilenians, especially those associated with an educational institution, the IRC has brought a new dimension to the city. “It adds diversity to our community that we really, really need,” said Lydia Long, an adjunct professor who teaches government and criminal justice courses at McMurry. Several of these refugees are valued employees in the dining hall. To gain a global perspective, all students

have to do is walk to the dining hall and talk with one of the six refugees who work there. McMurry uses Aramark food services, which also provides services for HardinSimmons University and Abilene Christian University. Aramark has been at the forefront of hiring refugees since the IRC opened an office in Abilene. Andy Fisher,

food service director at McMurry, is thrilled with that decision. Among his most reliable and cheerful employees are Baranderaka Nestory of Burundi, Vanice Ndarubayemo of Burundi, Nyundo Nzamu of Rwanda, Regina Kayiba of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rehonia Butoy of Burundi, and Yashoda Bastola of Nepal. Fisher, who came to McMurry in August 2012, said the refugees already were employees when he arrived. Most are dishwashers because of their limited English, he said, but in their native countries, many were professionals. Even with the drop in professional status, the refugees are thrilled and grateful to be here, Fisher said. “Their attitude reflects how happy they are to be living in America. These folks come in with a smile on their face, happy to be at work,” Fisher said. One refugee who is on leave this semester is fluent in French and English and is always willing to help translate conversations between the refugees and the McMurry staff and students. Students in Lydia Long’s American government class last fall heard a representative of the International Rescue Committee tell about the repressive governments that the refugees lived under before making their way to Abilene. Long’s fall class was made up of 18- and 19-yearold students. They listened as Lisa Marciniak, volunteer coordinator with the local IRC office, spoke about the hostile situations that the refugees fled. “It’s really eyeopening for our students to understand the culture of the refugees,” said Vanessa Roberts Bryan, dean of student affairs. By definition, refugees cannot return to their homeland because of the threat of persecution or death. Most flee for political reasons. “Marciniak spoke before the November election, and her comments made an impact on some of the students,” Long said. She had been encouraging her students to vote but some didn’t see a reason to, figuring that one vote didn’t matter. Long wanted the students to hear what it is like in countries where people don’t have the right to vote and are even killed for their dissenting views. “I wanted them to know what an honor it is to be able to vote,” Long said. Bryan said McMurry has partnered with the IRC for several years in service projects. One project adopted by the Freshman Leadership Challenge is the annual

packing of Thanksgiving baskets for refugee families. The project is more than just a nice gesture. It also is educational for McMurry students, who learn about cultural and dietary differences between typical American families and refugee families. Kirsten Mauritsen, a sophomore English major from Artesia, New Mexico, remembers the first time she helped with the project. “Americans usually buy canned goods, even for Thanksgiving dinner,” she said. But the IRC instructed the students to purchase fresh vegetables and dried beans and rice for the refugees — even if it was Thanksgiving. Not only did the McMurry students learn about different cultures, some even learned a new way to shop.“Some of them hadn’t really picked out vegetables before,” Mauritsen said. The exposure to different cultures impressed Mauritsen enough that she signed up for a mission trip to Haiti in June 2012. According to Dr. Cynthia Martin, associate professor of mathematics and

program sponsor, “Encouraging service is a great way to train students to be leaders.” McMurry students also enjoy other interactions with refugees and their children, according to Bryan. They have hosted field days for refugee children to play soccer and other sports. Another popular event is trick-or-treating in the residence halls. “It was crazy,” Bryan said of last year’s Halloween experience. “It was really fun.” Another fun experience for refugees and McMurry faculty and staff is the annual Kris Kringle party. McMurry employees drew names for a “Secret Santa” gift exchange. Last year, one of the gifts exchanged was a toy for a refugee child whose name was also drawn. McMurry students receive great satisfaction in providing assistance to refugee families; in addition, connecting with these families has taught students about other cultures and broadened their perspectives of the world. ■

A L U M NI S P O T L I G H T

Determined to Teach

After escaping genocide in Cambodia when he was eight, Kimhun Dam now expands the mental landscape of his students in his high school World History class.

ach time Kimhun Dam drives by the McMurry campus with his two children in the car, he pays his alma mater the highest of compliments. “This is going to be your college,” he tells his 11-yearold son and 10-year-old daughter. Dam, a native of Cambodia who escaped the genocide of the 1970s with his family, earned an education degree from McMurry in 2009. He currently teaches United States and world history in the Abilene school district’s Academy of Technology, Engineering, Math, and Science. Dam has fond memories—and a grateful heart— for his professors at McMurry who helped him earn a degree. His appreciation and love of McMurry are so deep that he would gladly reverse the calendar and start over. “I would love to go back there and do it all over again,” he said. The feeling is mutual. Lynn Nichols, a retired McMurry education professor who supervises student teachers and teaching interns, said Dam made a wonderful and lasting impression. “He was very, very motivated,” Nichols said. “I think that’s part of his will to give back” to the community. Dam’s journey to the United States, to Abilene, and to McMurry is the stuff of legend. In 1976, when Dam was eight, his father led the family and 200 villagers out of Cambodia into Thailand to escape the genocide being inflicted by the Khmer Rouge communist regime. The 200 villagers eventually split into equal groups, and Dam’s father led 100 people through the jungle into Thailand, where they settled in a United Nations refugee camp. The Dam family lived there four years before they were sponsored to come to the United States, sight unseen, by Fred and Carolyn White, members of First Central Presbyterian Church in Abilene. Once in Abilene, they blossomed. None spoke English upon arrival, but Dam’s father soon was employed as a gardener at Hendrick Medical Center. The four Dam siblings all learned English and graduated

from high school. After graduating from Cooper High School in 1991, Dam took some classes at Cisco College and worked before opening Szechuan restaurant with a partner in 1996. The restaurant was—and still is—a favorite for Abilenians. Dam could have stayed with the restaurant and lived happily ever after, but he was motivated to become a teacher. With the support of his wife, Tum, Dam enrolled at McMurry. “Without my wife, my teaching dream was almost impossible to reach,” he said. Ten years after opening the restaurant, Dam sold out to his partner. But Nichols recalled that when Dam was taking classes at McMurry, he also worked at the restaurant. Nichols laughed remembering the two shirts Dam talked about—one smelled like the restaurant kitchen, the other like school. By the time Dam got to McMurry, he spoke and read English well enough for everyday life, but doing all the required readings for a college degree was another matter. Perry Kay Haley-Brown, dean of the School of Education, remembers that she was surprised at Dam’s desire to teach subjects that required so much reading. But she was also impressed. “He obviously has a passion for not only learning,” she said, “but also sharing his expertise.” Nichols, too, saw that quality in Dam. He saw a young man who was so appreciative of all the people who helped his family come to the United States that he wanted to give back. Nichols said it was a privilege to have Dam in his class and to see him interact with other students and professors. Nichols hopes he was able to help Dam achieve his dream. “What I concentrated on was helping him become the best teacher he could become,” Nichols said. Kimhun Dam’s skill as a teacher honed in a nuturing environment, combined with his extraordinary story of survival, will no doubt inspire and prepare his students for success in an uncertain world. ■

athletics U P D ATE MEN’S & WOMEN’S SWIMMING The curtain came down on the 201213 season of the McMurry swim teams with their annual journey to the Liberal Arts Championships, held this year at Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The War Hawks’ men's team earned a third place finish and the women's squad a ninth (with just five female competitors attending the meet!). During the course of the year, McMurry head coach Bev Ball’s youthful roster generated a total of 39 personal best marks. The team also paid tribute and bid “thank you” to three seniors who closed out their careers this year: Amanda Genzling, Sean White and Aaron Vasquez. WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Playing in its first season transitioning from NCAA Division III to NCAA Division II, the McMurry University women’s basketball team compiled a record of 12-14 with a very ambitious schedule. After starting the season 0-5, the War Hawks notched their first NCAA II win over regional rival Angelo State and went 12-9 the rest of the way in the 2012-13 regular season, including 9-7 versus Heartland Conference foes. The win versus ASU was also the 100th for McMurry head coach Dr. Veronica Snow, in her fifth season at the War Hawks’ helm. The team’s three seniors—Rikeita Thomas, Jamie Wilson and M.J. Vickers—all helped set the tone for 2012-13. Junior forward Keshia Collins once again led the team in scoring (13.5 p.p.g.) and also averaged 6.4 rebounds per game. Collins shot 78.8 percent from the free throw line and amassed 21 blocks. Freshman Claire Bruffey had an outstanding first collegiate season. The home-

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schooled forward averaged 5.5 p.p.g. and made 28 treys. Fellow frosh forward Ana Dominguez had a dazzling start to the year—7.8 p.p.g., 7.3 r.p.g., 1.7 b.p.g. and shooting 41 percent from the floor—before missing 14 games with a leg injury (returning for the final two regular season contests). MEN’S BASKETBALL The McMurry University men’s basketball team has had to deal with its fair share of adversity this season. At the beginning of the year, the team was practically new. Just five returning players, a new coaching staff, and a new conference stood in the way. However, the War Hawks responded nicely, finishing the season with a 17-9 record, including a 9-7 record against the Heartland Conference. Senior Takoby Jackson has led the way for McMurry this season, averaging a team best of 14.3 points per game. Over the course of the year, Jackson has scored 20+ points six times and has broken the double-digit mark in 17 contests. Alfred Perez has come on strong over the last half of the season and is the force behind the War Hawks’ front court. The 6’8” big man is averaging 9.8 points per game, but has found his stride at the end of the season, averaging 16.5 over his last four games heading into the regional tournament. The “true-guards” for McMurry had nice seasons, as Antonio Bell averaged 9.1 p.p.g. and DJ Stennis scored 6.9 p.p.g. Stennis also boasted a 1.94 assist/turnover ratio, while Bell’s is currently at 1.67.

a second place finish at the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) Indoor Championships at Indiana Wesleyan University. The McMurry women placed sixth in the nation. Former NAIA power Azusa Pacific University—also transitioning to NCAA II—on the NCCAA men's title and Shorter University took the women's crown. Davis' shot of 62' 1” surpassed his own previous McMurry school record (61' 0 ¼”) by better than a foot and obliterated the NCCAA's meet record (was 56' 10 ¼”) by more than five feet! McMurry's men also crowned another national champ in the high jump where JuJuan Austin cleared 6' 7”, taking first place out of a four-way tie at that height based on jumps. Newcomer Desmond Williams also brought home gold for McMurry, shattering the indoor long jump record for both McMurry and the NCCAA. Williams' leap of 24' 4 ½” not only won the event, but eclipsed the War Hawks' previous record by seven inches (23' 9 ½” set by Gavan Bass in 2009). The jump was more than a foot better than the previous NCCAA record (23' 8”), as well. In the triple jump, the War Hawks had three competitors place in the top eight, led by

sophomore Dillon Wilkins. Wilkins, who has battled with teammate Chris Ogle all season in the event and with one of the duo breaking the school record every week this season, took back the McMurry mark with a jump of 48' 0 ½”. Wilkins placed second in the final standings, with Ogle finishing fifth and Isaac Hamilton seventh. In the women's competition, the 4x200 relay quartet of Paradise Hooper, Purity Hooper, Tiana Alexander and Shanita Coleman finished second in a clocking of 1:43.41. The 4x400 relay—Paradise Hooper, Purity Hooper, Coleman and Jasmine Williams—was fourth with a time of 4:01.37. The 4x800 relay quartet was fifth, finishing at 9:56.73 minutes. The group consisted of Lauren Peery, Leah Doughty, Mercedes Bietendorf and Mary Affleck. Davis was named “Outstanding Performer” for the men’s field events, in post-meet voting by the NCCAA coaches. Davis’ mark in the shot put was also good enough to earn him an invitation to the USA Indoor Track and Field Championships, held in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he wore the McMurry colors among the nation’s elite in his event.

McMurry University’s football team closed out its 2012 regular season slate of games by scoring a 35-3 exhibition game victory over the University of Mexico at Wilford Moore Stadium on November 17th. While the border battle is not officially recognized by the NCAA, it was a great win over the No. 2 team in Mexico’s equivalent of a national championship playoff. But even more, the game was a cultural experience as both sides became more familiar with each other’s culture, thanks to a common love for the game of football!

INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD Junior shot putter Paul Davis unleashed one of the nation's top efforts this season to lead the War Hawks' men's team to

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class N O TES 1987 Jennifer Jane Daggett ’87, got a teaching position at Staple Elementary School in Joshua, Texas soon after receiving her degree from McMurry. She’s now completing her 26th year of teaching in Joshua. On February 25, 2013 at the meeting of the Joshua Area Chamber of Commerce, Jennifer was one of nine teachers recognized as “Teacher of the Year” for their schools. Jennifer teaches at the Plum Creek Elementary School. At the event, her principal and assistant principal spoke very highly of her ability to work with other teachers and her friendly attitude toward parents, students and faculty. Jennifer is married to Alan (Class of ‘88). She and Al have two children, Aubree (“Bree”), a sophomore at Tarleton State, and Carson, a junior at Joshua High School (and a potential McMurry prospect). She is also the daughter of Tom and Marnette Isbell, who are also McMurry alums.

1999 Toby Rodriguez ’99 (History and English) and his wife, Kathy, recently had a daughter, Sydney Brynn Rodriguez, born on December 27, 2012.

2003 Whitney Giles Martin ’03 married Bobby Martin on March 24, 2012.

2004 Lyndsay (Llewellyn) Baker ’04 and her husband, Kevin, welcomed their 7 lb 6 oz little boy, Lawson Len, into the world on December 12, 2012.

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2005 Anthony J. Muniz ’05 (Political Science and History) is working as a college computer administrator at the University of Toledo in Toledo, Ohio. He oversees all computer systems for the campus president, provost, budget and legal affairs offices that entail over 1,000 faculty and staff members.

Joshua Neeves ’11 married Jessica Collins-Heath ’11 on December 15, 2012.

2006 Jackson Lewis Harner was born to Catherine Watjen Harner ’06 and Major Arch Harner in Alexandra, Virginia, on May 2, 2012. Jackson weighed 8 lbs 6 oz at birth and was 19 inches long.

2007 Frances Arias ’07 will be graduating in June from American Military University with her second master’s degree in Military Studies with a concentration in Asymmetrical Warfare. She also participated in the December Washington, D.C. GORUCK Challenge in which she raised $3,320 for the Green Beret Foundation in memory of classmate SSG Jeremie S. Border.

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Chuck Jones ’11 and Elizabeth Jones ’10 had their first baby, Noah Lee Jones, on January 27, 2013 at 4:13 p.m. He weighed 7 lbs 9.2 oz and was 21 inches long. Of their new bundle of joy, they shared, “We love our future War Hawk!”

2012 Cody Langston ’12 married Lauren Alexander ’12 on March 9, 2013.

Homecoming Oct 4 -6, 2013

2008 Leighanne Meador ’08 and Blake Ortiz ’10 were married Saturday, November 24, 2012 at the Marty Leonard Chapel in Fort Worth, Texas. Former McMurry students and faculty joined them for the wedding and the reception following. Leighanne Meador was preceded at McMurry by her parents, Michael ’73 and Helen Foster ’74 Meador, and brothers, Michael ’99, Edward ’01, and Robert ’04. Blake Ortiz ran for McMurry’s first National Championship Track Team. The Reverend Bill Libby, who knew all the younger Meadors and Blake Ortiz as students, performed the ceremony.

Alumni sing the alma mater after a concert during the spring band tour to the Dallas-Fort Worth area. LEFT: Barbara Whorton-Farley ’73 and Carla Woolley ’73 with Band Director David Robinson.

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Daniel Joseph Ames ’93 of Rumford, Maine, died January 11, 2013. James Armstrong of Conroe, Texas, died August 1, 2012. Donald Battles of Abilene, Texas, died December 30, 2012. Emilee Ramsey Beckham ’38 of Amarillo, Texas, died October 17, 2012. James Bell ’55 of Post, Texas, died August 29, 2012. Ophelia Bilbrey of Abilene, Texas, died September 23, 2012. Ralph Birdwell of Abilene, Texas, died February 12, 2013. Eddie Blackwell of Abilene, Texas, died September 19, 2012. Zackie Van Houten Boen ’92 of Zabulon, Georgia, died November 2012. Louise Spiegelmire Bohannon ’43 of Arlington, Texas, died September 19, 2012. James “Jim” Bonds ’72 of Hamlin, Texas, died September 1, 2012. Jeremie Border ’06 of Mesquite, Texas, died September 1, 2012. Nancy Bouldin of Woodward, Oklahoma, died November 23, 2012. Tommy Boyd ’58 of Throckmorton, Texas, died October 26, 2012. Betty Murphy Brock ’66 of Lakeway, Texas, died September 21, 2012. Ben Bruckner of Amarillo, Texas, died November 27, 2012. Tommy Burton of Winters, Texas, died August 20, 2012. Bobby Carter ’52 of Lubbock, Texas, died August 27, 2012. Hoyt Cole ’49 of Anchorage, Arkansas, died September 5, 2012. Allen Cordts of Durham, North Carolina, died November 7, 2012. Doyle Ray Dean of Hamlin, Texas, died January 11, 2013. Lawrence Devasto ’71 of Tyler, Texas, died August 17, 2012. John Easter of Abilene, Texas, died November 5, 2012. Lona Mable Earnest of Abilene, Texas, died August 29, 2012. Nell Blakney Evans ’41 of Houston, Texas, died September 4, 2012. Elizabeth Lynch Ford ’65 of Abilene, Texas, died January 25, 2013. Pete Gaulding of Abilene, Texas, died November 10, 2012. Norma Walker Gayle ’67 of Abilene, Texas, died September 15, 2012. Bobby Haney of Imperial, California, died November 8, 2012. Nancy Hardy Harrison ’87 of Abilene, Texas, died November 8, 2012. Winnona Herring of Abilene, Texas, died February 8, 2013. David “Scotty” Holland of Abilene, Texas, died January 4, 2013. John Hyde ’67 of Sweetwater, Texas, died February 16, 2013. Jessica Suzanne Kennedy of Kerrville, Texas, died on March 1, 2013. Matadi Kikunga ’99 of Humble, Texas, died December 8, 2012. Christine Kitchens ’50 of Seminole, Texas, died August 19, 2012. John Leeson ’53 of Southaven, Missouri, died October 21, 2012. Tommy Lopez of Abilene, Texas, died September 16, 2012. Dottie Floyd Lowrey ’56 of Knox City, Texas, died November 5, 2012. Joan Katherine Mallery of Deming, Texas, died January 12, 2013. Roma Yarbrough McIntyre ’60 of Lake Jackson, Texas, died October 29, 2012. Joseph McMahon ’67 of Granbury, Texas, died August 14, 2012.

Dawn McRae of Sweetwater, Texas, died September 24, 2012. Linn Meyerdirk ’73 of Austin, Texas, died December 12, 2012. Edgar Lee Moore ’70 of Hurst, Texas, died January 25, 2013. Barbara Nottingham of Ft. Walton Beach, Florida, died January 26, 2013. Max Overman of Chesterfield, Virginia, died February 6, 2013. Louis Pittard of Gouldbusk, Texas, died February 18, 2013. Bonnie Rigby ’44 of Dayton, Texas, died January 16, 2013. Joseph Rios ’74 of Abilene, Texas, died January 30, 2013. Virgil Sears ’49 of Lake Kiowa, Texas, died August 9, 2012. Byron Sibbet ’69 of Fort Worth, Texas, died January 9, 2013. Susan Prestridge Swindle ’92 of Abilene, Texas, died December 9, 2012. Richard Tarpley of Abilene, Texas, died September 17, 2012. Marilyn MacKenzie Threlkeld of Sweetwater, Texas, died September 21, 2012. John Valentine ’79 of Abilene, Texas, died August 2, 2012. Barbara Wilson Washam ’57 of Abilene, Texas, died September 11, 2012. Barbara Louise Pirtle Young ’48 of Chicago, Illinois, died.

Louis Grady Pittard

Louis Grady Pittard passed away on Monday, February 18, 2013 after a short illness. He was 98 years of age. He was born November 1, 1914 in Coleman County. Louis married Eugenia Hartsfield Pauley on July 19, 1942, and they had four children—Knox, Gary, Nancy and Robert, who all graduated from Mozelle High School. Louis was involved in farming and ranching most of his adult life in south Coleman County. Among his many involvements were: service as election judge for the Voss voting precinct for many years and membership on the Coleman County School Board, the Board of Trustees for the Mozelle CISD, the Coleman County Water Board, the County Committee for the ASCS of Coleman, and the Central Colorado River Authority Board for 25 years, having been appointed by the Governor of Texas. Louis was a 32nd degree mason and belonged to the Scottish Rite. In March 2004 Louis was awarded the prestigious Golden Trowel Award by the Coleman Masonic Lodge, and in

2012 he received his 75-year pin. In 1978, Louis was named Rural Citizen of the Year for Coleman County, awarded by the Coleman Chamber of Commerce. In 2009, Louis and Eugenia were inducted into the McMurry University Athletic Hall of Honor as recipients of the Bob and Clara Brown Award for support of McMurry athletics. Eugenia died on February 6, 2007 after 65 years of marriage. Louis is survived by his children: Knox and his wife, Pam, of Bedford; Gary and his wife, Lee Ann, of Tyler; Nancy Smith and her husband, Rodney, of Abilene; and Robert and his wife, Cindy, of Dallas. Also surviving him are his eight grandchildren and nine great grandchildren. Louis was a proud supporter of McMurry and Baylor University athletics, where his children attended college and played football and basketball. Memorials may be made to the McMurry University Annual Fund, 1 McMurry Box 938, Abilene, Texas 79697.

Staff Sgt. Jeremie Border

McMurry graduate Staff Sgt. Jeremie Border ’06

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died September 1, 2012, while serving in the U.S. Army in Afghanistan. Border, a native of Mesquite, Texas, was killed in action while serving in Operation Enduring Freedom. He died after an insurgent attack in the eastern Afghanistan province of Ghazni, according to a military statement. Border, who double-majored in sociology and communications, played four years for McMurry’s football team, from 2002 to 2005, and appeared in nine varsity games. Border, who wore No. 28, played defensive back, but also had one attempt as a freshman punter and one kickoff return as a sophomore, said McMurry Sports Information Director Dave Beyer. Border also was active in McMurry’s Servant Leadership program, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Makona Men’s Social Club. He was a resident assistant and was named to “Who’s Who Among Students” in American Universities and Colleges.

Bobby Lee Carter

Bobby Lee Carter was born July 3, 1929, in Ovalo, Texas, and passed away August 27, 2012, in Lubbock, Texas. Memorial services were held in the Wesley Chapel at Lakeridge United Methodist Church with the senior pastor Reverend Bill Couch officiating. Mr. Carter graduated from Abilene High School in 1948, and later attended McMurry University, where he earned his bachelor of science degree in 1952. He competed as a member of McMurry’s sprint relay team from 1949 to 1952 and was an NCAA Track Honor Roll selection during his time as a McMurry athlete. He was inducted into the school’s Hall of Honor in 1999 and served on their Board of Trustees from 2003 until his death. He was a member of Lakeridge United Methodist Church. He was preceded in death by his wife of 53 years, Frankie Carter.

Survivors include his current wife, Patricia Schneider Carter; four children, Carolyn Harper of Springfield, Illinois, Stephen Carter of Dallas, Sara Lackey and her husband, Steve of Lubbock, and Jan White and her husband, Tommy, of Plano; one brother, Dennis Carter of Abilene; three grandchildren, Dustin Harper, Kate Lackey and Blake Lackey; and two great-grandchildren, Keegan and Riley Harper. His greatest achievements were as a high school football and track coach in Odessa and later Fort Stockton, Texas. He was greatly loved by all and will be remembered as a loving husband, father, businessman and coach. Memorial contributions may be made to McMurry University, S. 14th & Sayles, Abilene, TX 79697, where a scholarship is being set up in his honor, or to the American Diabetes Association.

Nell Blakney Evans

Nell Blakney Evans was born on February 15, 1921 in Marshall, Texas, and died September 4, 2012, in Houston, Texas. She was the daughter of William Lester (Bill) and Nell Rook Blakney. She graduated from McMurry College in 1941 in three years with a major in Spanish. At McMurry, she was active in Alpha Chi, Kappa Phi and Sigma Lambda Kappa. Ms. Elizabeth Wyatt was one of her favorite professors. Her first job upon graduation was teaching high school Spanish in Rotan, Texas. In later years, she was a bilingual teacher for elementary students in Richardson, Texas. In 1942, she went on a blind date with 2nd Lt. Holland B. Evans, who was stationed at Camp Barkley. They were happily married for nearly 70 years. The Nell Blakney Evans Memorial Scholarship at McMurry is named in her honor. She is survived by her husband, Holland; sons Holland Jr. and Greg; grandsons Holland IV (Bo) and Blakney (Blake); and four great grandchildren. Holland Jr. (1966) and Holland IV (2003) are also McMurry graduates.

Nell was a longtime member of the First United Methodist Church of Richardson, Texas. She had a passion for travel and for exploring other cultures. She and her husband were among the first Westerners to visit China. Her hobbies included needlepoint, photography, birding, collecting Chinese postage stamps and antiquing. She and her husband loved their cabin in the mountains of northern New Mexico and traveled there from Dallas every other month for nearly 30 years.

Jean E. Hunt

Jean Edna Hunt was born September 22, 1916 in Scio, Ohio to Battelle Hines and Edna Watson. She passed away May 11, 2012. Her family moved to Texas when she was four and then to Odessa, Texas in 1930, where she lived for 68 years before moving to Plano to be near her family. In the fall of 1933, while McMurry President Dr. J.W. Hunt was passing through Odessa on a recruiting trip, he was introduced to Jean and her sister, Louise, and they agreed to attend McMurry in 1934. She was a member of the Wah Wahtaysee, serving as a leader her last year. Jean worked her way through McMurry as an assistant to the president and received a B.A. degree in 1937. While at McMurry she met Julian Winford “Red” Hunt, who was the son of President Hunt. After graduation, they married in 1938 and both worked in Odessa, she as an accountant and he as a pilot and airport manager. They had two daughters and she discontinued working outside the home to be a homemaker. She also served as a volunteer for various community projects. She is survived by daughters Marsha Jeanne Hachtel and Beverly Jane Hildebrand; three grandchildren, Charlotte Bryant, Jeffrey Hachtel and Natalie Hildebrand; one great granddaughter Madison Bryant and her sister,

Helen Joy Smith. She was preceded in death by her husband, Julian Winford Hunt, and her sister, Louise Henderson.

Dottie Floyd Lowrey

Dottie Floyd Lowrey, a 1956 graduate of McMurry College, passed away on November 5, 2012. While in elementary school, Mrs. Lowrey was busy learning music. At Tahoka, the Methodist church bought a small organ, which she learned to play. When the family moved to Lamesa, Texas, she continued to learn on the large pipe organ at the Methodist church there. After graduating from Lamesa High School in 1952 as salutatorian, she continued her studies at McMurry College on the five keyboard pipe organ. She was a member of Delta Beta social club and studied business. She taught school after graduation and became very active in the community and the school at Knox City. She also formed the first high school choir at Knox City. The school and students benefited from her working with the University Interscholastic League. She received many requests to play for weddings, funerals, and churches. She had a special love for teaching a Sunday school class for older women. She is survived by her husband, Melvin A. Lowrey; a daughter, Jan Searcey; and two grandchildren, Jenna Freeby and John Searcey. Dottie is also survived by her sister, Shirley Floyd Williams. She was preceded in death by one grandson, Josh.

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